Additional Modalities
Beyond acupuncture and herbs, other therapeutic methods are often used in an acupuncturist’s office. They include cupping, tui na, gua sha, and Chinese nutrition therapy.
Cupping
Used for: treating muscle pain, injuries, stiff joints.
- Creates a vacuum in a suction cup over various parts of the body.
- Draws blood flow to areas of pain.
- Relieves pain and re-supplies vital nutrients to local tissues.
- Mobilizes and stretches soft-tissue
- Loosens areas of adhesion or restriction.
Suction cups are typically placed locally over pain/injury sites, and left on for 5-10 minutes.
Tui Na
Used for: generalized muscle pain due to impaired circulation, limited joint range of motion
- Literally meaning “push-grasp”
- Best understood as Chinese massage
- Combination of techniques to relieve muscle or joint pain
It includes acupressure, soft-tissue mobilization (compression, kneading, deep tissue massage), and assisted stretching
Gua Sha
Used for: neck and shoulder tension, especially neck stiffness.
- Gua means “rubbing” or “friction”
- Sha translates as “congested” or “stagnant” blood.
- Similar to cupping.
Involves rubbing the edge of a porcelain or plastic spoon in even strokes over the affected area. The resulting redness, or sha, indicates positive therapeutic results.
Chinese Nutritional Therapy
Used for: Accelerating recovery times
The American diet consists of many foods that are harmful to our bodies.
